general problems of the 2020 Ford Escape - part 2

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated while depressing the accelerator pedal. There was no warning light illuminated. An independent mechanic was contacted regarding the failure and the mechanic acknowledged that several other similar vehicles had experienced the same failure with the transmission. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.

Awd fault.

Turn on vehicle dashboard lights up where my awd not working, my collision assist not working, trac not working, drive mode not working. This started about a week ago from end of June. I did find a recall for 2020 Escape ecoboost but my VIN is not on there. I cannot access my drive mode my collision light does not work and I am driving in front wheel.

Shortly after having new tires installed at the dealership the following warnings displayed: awd fault service required, hill start assist, pre-collision and traccontrol. Mileage was around 10,700, June 2025. Dealer unable to look at until July 2025. Advised that the rdu motor needed replacement. Replacement was completed 7/23/25. The vehicle was 5 months past the powertrain warranty. So out of pocket was over $1,900. Given the low mileage on the vehicle it seems that this should not have happened. Research here and other websites indicate this is a known issue. The dealer indicated the same.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed on two occasions, the powertrain warning light illuminated, and the vehicle lost motive power. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle on one of the occasions, the message "no hill assist" and another unknown message were displayed. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed that an active shutter switch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of failure. The failure mileage was approximately 47,000.

Power train fault indicator came on indicating that the turbo charger was in an underboost condition. This caused the vehicle to lose power on the highway which could have placed my family in a unsafe condition.

Two issues. 1: transmission shakes, shudders, and loses power intermittently at shift points. 2: check arm spot welds broke loose at the door. Safety issue. Ford has a service bulletin for this sm 51553 and sm 50150.

Since the remedy was completed for the last recall for the fuel injectors cracking my Ford Escape 2020 has had many issues resulting in warning lights on in 5 different modules. My Escape will not pass NY state inspection and the dealer wants 600$ just to diagnose these issues. I have a powertrain/awd fault that results in not awd and vehicle has no power and does not run smoothly. The rpms jump constantly between 2 and 3. Others warning lights and errors include traction control, tire pressure sensor failure, abs, electric park fault, and also issues with the power steering. Got an appraisal down by my dealer and was told the Escape is only worth $3,000 now. I owe 16,000.

Rotary style gear shift does not go into gear on hot days. Gear shift is stuck in park and will not rotate to drive or another gear, leaving motorist stranded.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact attempted to shift gear, and the vehicle jerked abnormally. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was opened. The contact was also referred to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 131,000.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving approximately 70 mph, the message "vehicle shutting down - place vehicle in neutral to restart" was displayed on the instrument panel. The contact stated that the failure had occurred several times in one day. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. In addition, the contact stated that upon further investigation, the contact noticed on the Ford app that a message "powertrain malfunction - reduced power" was displayed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.

On hot days the gear shift gets stuck in park. The car interior has to cool down before the shifter will turn in to gear.

May 2025 the following fault codes illuminated on vehicle start up. * awd fault service required * hill start assist not available * service advance trac * pre-collision assist not available. Wrench light illuminated on dash board. Awd and safety features disabled intermittently. Obd codes: - c0090:18-6c power transfer unit actuator - circuit current below threshold - c0095:18-64 rear diff unit actuator ‘a’ - circuit current below threshold - c00a2:01-6c drive-in control module power transfer unit control circuit driver. - c00a3:01-6c driveline control module rear diff unit ‘a’ control circuit driver - p0562:00-af - system voltage low on awd module. Appears to be awd module failure.

The contact called on behalf of the owner of a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving at various speeds, the vehicle jerked and failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. The check engine warning light and multiple warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed the vehicle and found metal shavings inside the transmission, with a burn odor coming from the transmission. The contact's daughter was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure persisted, and the vehicle remained at the residence unrepaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred contact to the NHTSA hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

Component: powertrain / transmission vehicle: 2020 Ford Escape mileage at failure: 53,500 transmission began violently jerking, hesitating, and mis-shifting around 53,000 miles. Brought to Ford of sunnyvale on may 2, 2025 where the dealership diagnosed complete transmission failure. Instead of replacing, they installed a software update that masked the problem for a few weeks before it returned worse. Vehicle is now unsafe to drive — surging, delayed shifting, unpredictable acceleration — especially dangerous for highway merging or family use. This is a known issue with Ford’s 8f35 transmission. Ford TSB 22-2281 documents widespread failures and need for planetary gear replacement. What’s more concerning is that this failure occurred within what should have been the 5-year/60k powertrain warranty. Ford denied full coverage based on a hidden warranty start date from demo use. I was never informed at lease that the warranty had started 6 months earlier. My wife drives our two small children in this car, and it is now unsafe and undrivable. Ford should be held accountable not only for the mechanical failure, but for masking the problem and compromising customer safety.

Awd module failed at 20,000 miles.

When outdoor temperatures are above 85 degrees, the interior of the vehicle becomes warm enough that the vehicle may not shift out of park. Our most recent experience was while on vacation in florida last week. The outdoor temperature was around 90 degrees, though likely warmer in the parking lot. The vehicle was parked on a flat surface facing the sun, wheels facing forward, no reflector in the windshield, windows closed. When starting the engine, vehicle started normally, all functions appeared normal, but could not shift out of park. Tried rocking the vehicle back and forth, turning the wheel, brake lights functioned, no movement of the shifter- as though the round shifter of the vehicle was electronically locked. This does not seem like a safety issue, but my wife is [xxx] and could have happened in a location where she would not have help available. Forums on the intrnet have multiple complaints. Ford told me that they do not know of an "issue" but did find that my car was misbuilt - the cable coming off of this switch is a two part cable, at least two different cable sets were used in the manufacture of the 2020 Escape. My vehicle used the a part of one set and the b part of a different set. Ford gave replacement parts for free, I paid $600 for diagnostics and labor. Latest incident happened after the correct cable set was installed. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Awd module on 2020 Ford Escape failed at 21,000 miles. There has been a customer satisfaction repair done in 2022 when it started happening to select vehicles. I drive low mileage but should have been a recall issued due to the amount of complaints and fixes online.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the message "all wheel drive fault" was displayed, and the vehicle only operated in 2wd. The contact was concerned that during winter weather the vehicle was unsafe to drive in 2wd only. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer and was diagnosed with awd module failure. The contact was informed that the awd module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The failure mileage was 50,000.

2020 Ford Escape sel was taken into Ford service center for oil change and to address acceleration issue that started two days prior, (check engine light had come on the day before drop off). One week after dropping my vehicle off to be assessed, I was told I needed a small part and it would be complete in 3 days. Another week went by, so I reached out and was told that I need a new engine because of a known Ford issue. Unknown to me, coolant was leaking into the engine and destroyed it. I was assured by the Ford technician that this was a known issue and the problem did not arise from something I did/did not do. I was quoted over $9k and weeks worth of work. I easily drove the vehicle to the service center, but was told it is now no longer drivable. I drive a lot for work and had only had the vehicle for 15 months, still owing over $16k on my auto loan. I had no choice but to purchase a new (not Ford) vehicle and am now stuck with two vehicle payments. Vehicle is still sitting at the Ford service center while I pay on it monthly.

The vehicle is just under 37k miles. I was operating the vehicle normally, and the wrench icon came on, indicating a powertrain issue. There are recalls for this for some vehicles but not all, and it seems to occur just after warranties expiring. I am concerned my vehicle falls under this service bulletin but has not been properly added: ssm 49157 - 2020 Escape - illuminated mil with dtcs u0100, u0401, p166b, p1753, p0929, and/or p0919 some 2020 Escape vehicles may exhibit an illuminated malfunction indicator lamp (mil) and diagnostic trouble codes (dtcs) u0100, u0401, p166b, p1753, p0929, and/or p0919. The vehicle may also exhibit an illuminated powertrain malfunction (wrench) indicator lamp. This may be due to the software in the gear shift module (gsm). To correct the condition, reprogram the gsm using the latest software level of the appropriate Ford diagnostic scan tool. For claiming, use causal part number 7p155 and applicable labor operations in section 10 of the service labor time standards (slts) manual. Applicable vehicles 2020 car: tc cx482n Escape 2020 car: tc cx482n Escape 2020 car: tc cx482n Escape.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the chrome on the gear shifter had started to peel, creating sharp edges on the shifter knob. The contact stated that while attempting to move the gear shifter, the contact sustained minor cuts to the fingers from the peeling gear shifter. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact was informed that the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 70,000.

Awd module fault. $2200 repair. Reading online many 2020 Ford Escape are having this issue of the part failing. Most are still under warrenty when it goes but in my case I wasn't. This part should he investigated because there shouldn't be this many reports of the part malfunctioning without a recall.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that overtime she became aware that there was a sharp piece on the transmission dial, causing cuts on her fingers while turning the dial. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact was informed that the VIN was not under recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 37,000.

The silver base of gear selector is chipping leaving sharp plastic edges causing pain to right thumb and repeated punctures with bleeding when operating the gear selector. Ford dealer and corporate report this repair is not covered under warranty since 3 year/36,000-mile warranty has expired. The issue became known at 4. 5 years/ 32,519 miles. Ford previously had a service bulletin to repair the window lever buttons for the same issue at no cost to the owner. This issue is more dangerous because it involves gear selection which may impact safety when operating the vehicle.

There is a courtesy replacement on the main fuel injector. I just recently had to replace my turbo. No my car bogs down won't go and smells like eggs which is the catalytic converter. The injection brakes the converter which brakes the turbo and Ford is not interested in helping very much. How can.

I was driving for uber and I smelled something biting along with my passengers, we had just gone through an area with a lot of smoke, so we figured it was that. After I dropped them off I noticed smoke billowing from my engine. The next day I had noticed my car was low on coolant, so I drove to ace hardware to grab some. After I put the coolant in the car I went to publix to get some groceries and when I got back I smelled the smoke again. I did some research and there was a class action lawsuit against for Ford for the Escape with 1. 5l engines and the fuel injectors cracking which caused coolant intrusion damaging the engine and causing them to over heat. I had my car towed to the dealership and the ect light came on along with a parking brake warning. . This car has been nothing but a headache, nothing but repairs since I’ve had it. There is also a csp, customer satisfaction protocol for the fuel injectors cracking and I was never told about it all the times I’ve been to the dealership. I’m thinking that’s what caused the overheating. .

I am smelling gas every time I put gas and it won't start after putting gas there's a strong smell of gas inside my vehicle the recall has not been fixed yet I am a single mother and this is a safety risk issue how do I go forward powertrain is also still coming up I have other things popping up saying recalls were never fixed please help.

For 6 months, after a routine visit and safety recall preformed by Ford, I have had an issue with the park brake engaging on its own. When pressing the button to disengage it, the car would not disengage and would remain locked. The only way to disengage it would be to throw the car into reverse, press the button to disengage the park brake and step on the gas pedal as fast as you could. After 6 months of trying to diagnose the issue, Ford pittsville came up inconclusive, replacing multiple parts of the e-brake such as the buttons themselves, the wires connecting the brakes, and checking over the brakes. The issue itself was unrecreatable but the only common denominator was remote starting the car via the app. The most recent investigation this past month conducted by Ford revealed that the pin for my brake and e brake was loose after they (Ford) had replaced it. They fixed the connection and delivered my car to me. I hadnt even driven the car yet, only remote started it due to the heat. When the car was started, it immediately popped up with a new issue. The powertrain had failed, with codes popping up via Fords system indicating the: park brake, brake system, gear shift, and 5 other codes that I cannot recall at the moment showing on their system. Ford diagnosed the problem, finding the gear shift itself was not engaging due to a loose pin (code: p0929:77). I was told that the car was safe to drive but there has been zero communication on when the part would be ordered or taken care of. I have tried to follow up multiple times with the dealership in the past two weeks and update them about the cars current state, including now with the error still showing, my steering feels loose and my car feels as if it is drifting while I drive.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact became aware of an abnormal odor on the interior of the vehicle. The contact stated that the odor was entering the interior of the vehicle through the vents. The contact stated the abnormal odor had a sweet smell. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the failure was not duplicated. In addition, the contact stated the transmission was slipping. The contact was informed that a software update needed to be performed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 43,000.

This 2020 Ford Escape-with less than 67k miles on it-is mostly inoperable, as of this date. This car was financed, from a fort lauderdale. Fl used car dealership, on or around [xxx]. The check engine light was on. I went to autozone to see what codes this could be attributed to. I was given printouts, reflecting codes p0171 & p2bf1 [air flow ratio and/or fuel injector related issues]. Additionally, the oil life on the car was at 0%.  I then checked to see if there were any open recalls. There were and on 12/3/24, 2 recall repairs were done at grieco Ford (oil separator pan: 22v191; drain tube replacement: 22s73). The car was fine. An oil change took place on 12/14/24, where the engine coolant was topped off. There were no issues and the car was driven periodically, since its purchase, to miami, because my mother suffered a stroke on 10/21/24 and was in her 2nd intensive rehab. As her only child, I am her poa and advocate. However, on [xxx] serious overheating occurred, when I drove less than 1. 5 miles away from home, and no engine coolant was in the reservoir. The car was sputtering and losing power. I had to pull over several times just to make it back home. Additionally, a seemingly oily/milky substance was around the radiator. As of [xxx], the motor mounts are worn causing the engine to violently shake and the original radiator is warped due to potential oil/coolant leaks the vehicle could have experienced, well before these recall repairs were executed. Also, there is another recall on this vehicle regarding fuel injector leaks. Ford has failed at any meaningful strides in fixing the litany of engine malfunctions; electrical system failures; and this car's computers disconnect in diagnosing issues adequately. I found out all of these after financing this car due to limited options had due to a chapter 7 bankruptcy. I already paid $270 for January's-full coverage-insurance payment & have to pay a $410 car payment on a car I can't drive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that when the vehicle was started, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the dpfe sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic to be repaired. The vehicle was repaired but the failure reoccurred approximately five months later when the check engine warning light illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that when the vehicle was started, the check engine warning light illuminated, and several minutes later, the power train warning light illuminated and a message to "refer to the owner’s manual” was displayed and the vehicle failed to accelerate above 40 mph. The contact stated that the vehicle went into "limp mode". The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road and turned off. The vehicle was then towed to an independent mechanic where dtc: p0402 and p1061 were retrieved, and the vehicle was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 56,819.

I started experiencing transmission issues with my vehicle around 80,000 miles. When I initially brought it to a Ford dealership for inspection, I was told there was nothing wrong—despite also reporting other concerns with the vehicle. The jerking and shifting issues continued over the following months and became more frequent. Once the vehicle reached just over 100,000 miles, I returned to the dealership and was then informed that the transmission had failed. This was frustrating, as I had been reporting symptoms for a long time with no resolution. To this day, no warning lights or dashboard messages have appeared to indicate any transmission issues. No warning lights, messages, or diagnostic codes appeared before or during the progression of this issue. The only symptom has been the physical jerking and irregular shifting, which first appeared around 80,000 miles. I have a case number with Ford.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 70 mph, the rpm increased, and the check engine and power train warning lights illuminated. In addition, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that the failure had occurred several times. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the dealer; however, the failure was not duplicated. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 59,000.

The contact owns a 2020 Ford edge. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a loud clanking noise coming from the engine. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the exhaust cap and catalytic converter had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the contact noticed a gasoline odor coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the purge valve had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the gasoline odor was still present. Additionally, the contact stated that the awd warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the awd system failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 95,000.